The War of Four: A Battle of Brotherhood and Rivalry
The War of Four: A Battle of Brotherhood and Rivalry Act I The Inevitable Showdown, Black Fire vs White Lightning! Seigi inhaled, and exhaled calmly. The turmoil ensuing outside of his Clan's walls were like a soothing lullaby to his spirit, the smell of ash a beautiful fragrance, the sound of thunder and explosions a magnificent orchestra, and the constant beating rain like drums of the coming battle for the veteran heir of the Takuji House. He sat upon an elaborately carved, crimson-obsidian throne, with flames enamored into the head rest of the seat he leaned upon, with plush crimson cusions to make it comfortable to sit for lengthy periods of time. The room was a vast, crimson carpeted hall, where many advisors and guards would sit in a presentable manner, with many torches lit above. However, it laid dark and dormant, with the small exception of a tall doorway nearly fifty meters away from the massive building that Seigi sat upon. As Seigi kept his eyes closed, he could hear the audible footsteps near the front of the massive building, causing him to inhale once more and exhale, slowing his breathing to be non-visible as the entity approached. "Welcome home," Seigi spoke smoothly, as his cold, onyx eyes opened slowly to meet the faraway glaring black irises of Shindō standing at the entrance of the gate of the great Takuji Meeting Hall, "brother." "You don't have the right to call me that, Seigi!" Shindō snarled out fiercely, his body venting a voluminous amount of Spiritual Pressure into the air, as his body glowed a vibrant blue-white hue, "the only thing you deserve to be called, is traitor!" Even as his Spiritual Pressure distorted the atmosphere, choking the foundation of the ancient meeting hall, Seigi remained stoic in the face of his brother's vehement projection. In fact, Seigi's calm demeanor made his own violet-black aura contradictory and intimidating when he raised it to match Shindō's own significant powerful pressure, causing the whole walls to rattle and tremble. "Foolish little brother. Your mind is clouded with rage and your heart is closed off by grief that has stricken you. At the state you're at, powerful or no, there's no way you can defeat me," Seigi spoke with a chiding tone, as his eyes glared a violet flaming hue. Shindō's glare held with Seigi's stare for a good minute, even as the atmosphere cried out with great rage and power, as other warriors clashed repeatedly, making the clouds blacker and larger. It was at this moment, that Shindō's aura died down, and his glare was replaced with a confident smile. "Do you find your powerless state amusing?" Seigi inquired rhetorically, not quite curious enough as to what scheme his younger brother had in his mind, but curious enough to know why he smiled. "Powerless? You misunderstand the nature of my strongest power," Shindō spoke aloud with a dark tone, as his Zanpakutō slid out of his right arm's sleeve, fully grasped in his sword hand, "my Zanpakutō isn't a mere harness to the weather or controller of thunderstorms. It harnesses the accumulated power of emotions within the land, as well as the conflicts bordering it. Using my own emotions has always allowed me great power, but now, when so many powerful entities surround the very battlefield I have chosen, its magnified much more intensely. With the very heavens already consumed with turmoil and anguish, wrath and grief, rivalry and bloodlust, my power..." KRAAAAAAAAAAAAK-VOOOOOOM!!! "...IS AT ITS PEAK!" Shindō's eyes suddenly lit up brightly, as his whole body became consumed with a fiery aura of blue-white electricity, as his Zanpakutō swung upwards towards the ceiling. Within a matter of seconds, a pillar of lightning shattered the roof of the ancient meeting hall and was drawn into Shindō's blade and coursed around his own aura, with such intensity that it cracked the walls and floor within an instant, turning it into rubble and ash. It was at this moment, that Seigi's eyes widened with surprise and his mouth half-dropped. He could only utter one word, "Huh..." before he found a fissure of light slam into his body and blow him through the building. Seigi's person funneled across the Takuji grounds, leaving a wide wake of vibrant destruction, as building and house collapsed upon impact, a uproar of flames and rubble extinguished within the onslaught of rain. It only stopped when Seigi grasped a hold of the lightning and split it in two, sending it to opposite directions to be nullified within dual explosions. Even as Shindō landed a good ten meters away, alight with a vibrant electric aura, Seigi clapped burned palms together, without showing a visible reaction of pain that coursed through his skin. Though his coat was nearly burned off, black linent cloth lied protectively woven within matte-grey armor overlaced his torso, arms and legs. As Shindō's eyes burned with wrath, plotting his brother's destruction, the latter was amused as to how far his brother would go in order to surface his own power. "Let us see what you're truly capable of at your peak, Shindō," Seigi spoke in a goading tone, as he narrowed his eyes at the younger warrior. In preparation, he clenched his fists, and crouched down low, awaiting the perfect moment to strike. "RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!" Shindō roared out, as his body whisked forth, moving faster than the normal eye could see. Arcing within a zig-zag motion of lightning, Shindō launched an attack from above, driving his blade in a downwards arc that left an untold blast of devestating force. The result left an explosion of blue light that leveled the block, while expanding fissures of crackling energy continued onwards. What met Shindō's eyes caused them to widen with incredulity. Seigi's left vambrace had absorbed the blow, as well as project a ghastly black-violet gout of flames to keep any of the electrical energy from touching him. "W-What is this?!" Shindō thought, as he swiftly moved his body away from the impassive Seigi, who dispersed the fire as soon as he did, "what kind of Kidō was that, to disperse the force and electrical firepower of Kirin with such ease?!" "Fukyū Ankokuhi. My own S-Class Kidō creation," Seigi spoke aloud, emphasizing by opening an extended palm, creating a small handful of black-violet tongues, "it combines the destructive, endless incinerative properties of Haien, while imbuing the base versatility of Bakudo currents for defensive and integrity purposes, and harnesses the raw firepower of Nenshō'''. You could say that its the ultimate Fire-base Kidō, without any equal in raw destructive power. Even your Zanpakutō pales in comparison, Shindō." "Don't get cocky!" Shindō snarled out, his vibrant aura crackling and flashing wildly, as he raised his blade into the air, "powerful or not, your Kidō relies on your power alone. My Zanpakutō is a harness to all of the violent currents within the Soul Society, and controls the very heavens that block out the light! Let me demonstrate...that gap of power...now!" Swinging his blade down, Shindō shouted aloud, "Sānda Gakudan!" Within an instant, an artillery barrage of animated lightning bolts came crashing down from the heavens. Seigi swiftly Flash Stepped away from the crashing currents of negative energy, causing enormous explosions within their wake, drilling deep into the earth and glassing any soil within it. Every step was precisely, fluid, and immediate within the closing gaps of the dozens of lightning pillars hailing upon the ground, trying to blast away his person. It was when five lightning bolts homed in on his person from all directions, Seigi seemed to be enveloped within the totality of its destructive currents. That is, until the maelstrom of blue-white energy coiled and turned into black, fiery tendrils of lightning, having been utterly contanimated and consumed by the Kidō Seigi unleashed. "His Kidō...ate the lightning?!" Shindō gasped aloud, his eyes wavering at what he just witnessed. "Lightning is an evolved form of fire, Shindō. I thought you'd know better than to challenge fire with an advanced form of the same element," Seigi parted the black coils of spasming energy with his hands, walking forward as they danced around his proiximity like living serpents, "Fukyū Ankokuhi doesn't dismember an opposing destructive force. It consumes it and makes it part of the continually ravenous fire that makes up its being." "Damn you!" Shindō snarled, his brows twitching, and now beginning to bead drops of cold sweat, realizing his newfound predicament, "you won't win this fight, Seigi! I'll stake my life on it!" "It certainly doesn't change the outcome, though the sentiment is noted," Seigi spoke dispassionately, as he raised his hand, pointing his forefingers towards Shindō, "your end is now, little brother." '''KRAK-KOOM-KOOM-KOOM-KOOM! Despite possessing his own innate speed, Shindō couldn't evade the black lightning forever. His body shimmered in and out, as the five serpents of lightning transmuted into dragons, following him with a predatorial instinct. Raising his blade, he summoned all of the electrical energy at his disposal and thrust it towards the five lunging maws of black energy. "Raikō Hōkō!" Shindō shouted, as a brilliant discharge of electrical energy blazed through with the utmost intensity. At first, it seemed as if it washed away the black serpents of corrupted electrical energy. But then, the brilliant white light was consumed and turned into an enormous pyre of blackness, ebbing with violet tongues and wild arcs of crackling, unstable energy. As it enveloped his person, his eyes changed into black-red colors just as the enormous explosion formed around him. VROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAR!!! The eliptical blast of black-&-violet tongues overlapped the entirety of the Takuji Estate's skyline, thrusting powerful blistering winds in all directions, cracking the structures below and shattering the glass. As the energy dimmed, Shindō's figure fell to the ground heavily, as shards of his Bunkō-Shin's strongest state shattered around him. The avatar barely protected Shindō, as the Captain's Haori and his black cloak were incinerated, leaving his collared grey vest was in tatters, steaming from the touch of the destructive firepower issued on his person. "I commend you on your quick-thinking, Shindō," Seigi clapped a few times as he walked towards Shindō's rapidly breathing form, his eyes looking at him with no emotional attachment, as if he was bored by what he had saw transpire before him, "using the Tamenkyōme Chōetsu's S-Class battle construct, Bunkō-Shin, as an immediate defensive measure was most wise on your part. Any other Kidō would've been shattered instanteously, and using your Hollow mask would only put your body through unnecessary stress. And considering your heart is constricted with an unhealthy obsession for vengeance, I'm guessing Philosophy is out of the question?" Shindō glared up wordlessly at him, as he struggled to stand on his feet, still dazed from the concussive force the blast emitted upon his body. He glared at his brother with a dark, vengeful fury, only matched by the violent crackling his Zanpakutō made within his hand. As the rain renewed its downpour upon them both, drenching their clothes to their skin, and matting their hair upon their scalps. Shindō could feel a foreboding cold sweat meld within the unforgiving rain pouring on his body. He was going to lose this battle against Seigi, and there was nothing he could do to even the odds. It appeared that he took every advantage he had into account and was only briefly surprised by the enormous power he possessed. With his Resolve ''shaken, he knew that future attacks would be ineffective. A belated sigh exited Seigi's mouth, as his hand reached for his Zanpakutō, sheathed across his back and began to purposely draw it forth, "Since it seems you've reached the end of your rope, I'm going to end your misery in a single blow. I hope you can understand, but I've lingered too long. This fight ends here." "Like hell it will-!" Shindō began to say, taking a step forward as his Zanpakutō began to ripple alight with ferocity. But Seigi was already gone. A solid, stoic afterimage was left for Shindō's directed fury to distract him, while Seigi appeared behind him, swinging his blade around to catch him by the left flank of his neck from behind, and make a perfect severing movement. Within just a few moments, Shindō would be decapitated, and lie dead within his own home. Unexpected Intervention! The Outcast vs the Elite Or so they would think. With a mighty clash of metal, and a shower of sparks, a sword sealed within a dark blue sheathe met Seigi's blade. Unhindered and without a dent, the weapon was being held up by two strong, sleeveless arms, belonging to a hooded figure whom Seigi and Shindo both would recognize as soon as he spoke. "This fight is just beginning." Mikado Amarante said as his eyes glared up at Seigi's. Following this, he ripped his sword from it's sheathe, releasing a slew of sparks in the process, and from the blade's edge, a blue burst of spirit fire was unleashed, engulfing Seigi in it's azure fury and either severely burning him, or blowing him back a great distance. Just after this, Mikado pulled off his hood, letting his white hair flow calmly in the breeze as he spoke to Shindo without looking at him. "Here I am pulling you out of hell again, for the...ninth time, I think? Are you ever going to pay me back for those?" he said in a slightly snarky tone. "M-Mikado?!" Shindō's voice uttered in shock, grimacing the from the shockwave of released power. He didn't even feel his movement, let alone see Seigi's Flash Step move him behind his field of vision. Was he really losing it?! Then, as he saw the white hair and heard the snarky tone, he growled out with exasperation, swinging his blade around as he grasped his collar, "The Hell are you doing?! This is MY fight, not yours! Stay out of my business!" His face now in a deadpan state, Mikado didn't bother to resist when Shindo grabbed his collar, and his tone became more blunt as he replied. "''Was ''your fight, but then you lost, and you almost lost your head just now. Besides, I've got my own score to settle with Seigi right now, and I'd prefer you not get caught in the middle of it." "What makes you think you got any more chance I do?! Is your arrogance talking for you again, or are you blind to the power gap between him and you?!" Shindō asked with exasperation, not releasing him yet, as he wasn't quite convinced of Mikado's confident disposition just yet. "You're the blind one here, Shindō." Mikado answered in the same blunt tone. "Seigi's already adapted to how you fight. Hell, he's had years to do it, but he's never fought me like this. Go keep the rest of the Clan safe, and I'll take care of him." Tap-Tap-Tap-Tap... A distant pair of feet began to clap against the cobblestone of the Takuji highway he had been blown back on. Steam rolled up from the vambraces which absorbed the impact by Mikado's release of Spiritual Pressure, and his sword gleamed within the crackling light of the ominous lightning strikes high up in the air, with rain continuing to bead across his body. "Mikado Amarante...you've finally come back home, have you?" Seigi asked with a cool tone, acting impassive to his arrival despite his initial shock of intervening earlier. Shindō growled, his eyes fixating on Seigi, lowering his blade but not sheathing it. He felt that his fight was cut horribly short, and that he had plenty of techniques and tricks up his sleeve that he could use to undermine the smug older brother of his. Mikado, on the other hand, turned to face Seigi, sheathing his sword in the process and staring him down with a cool gaze. "I knew you two would make a mess of the place if I stayed gone for too long. Looks like I got here a little too late." he said. Oddly, Mikado didn't seem at all as stern or gloomy as he used to be. Judging by some of his sentances, he would give off the impression that he was now in a much lighter state of mind. "Structures of the Soul Society are superficial. It only took three days for the Inner Circle to adapt the visage of its newfound territory and establish new laws. It shouldn't take any longer when the next state of power is issued, and the Takuji Clan is once again established as a necessary war power," Seigi spoke impassively, sheathing his blade as his eyes locked onto Mikado's, observing his calm and assured state of mind, "I take it you've regained your ''edge, that you once lost, Akira Takuji. Have you come to claim the seat of the Noble House you were raised in, or are you here merely to annihilate it, as your barbaric father had desired from the beginning?" "It's a joke, Seigi. You need to try it at some point, lighten up a little." Mikado said bluntly, resting his sword over his shoulder as he spoke. "And no, I'm not here for either of those things. I'm not bred for nobility, as you two already know, so you can give my seat to whoever you want. But I'm not here to annihilate it either. As much as it's hurt me and my family over the years, it was my home, and I owe this family a debt." His sword came down to his right side, and he turned to face Seigi fully. "One that's going to be paid in your blood." "I've paid more than enough for this Clan's benefit and longevity, Akira Takuji," Seigi spoke aloud stoically, not batting an eye at the move of intimidation made by Mikado, "the only blood that needs to be shed on behalf of the Clan, is you. You suckled on what precious life and support my family has given you without showing a single shred of thankfulness or dignity. Like a thief in the night, you left with your tail between your legs, like the cur you really are. Had you truly been an invaluable asset to this family, my mother wouldn't be dead from the shame you left upon our house and the scars you sewn deep into her heart." "...you're right." Mikado lowered his weapon and spoke in a more humble tone, and his expression lowered as well, though his narrowed eyes remained fixed on Seigi's. "I wronged this family in the worse way possible...spat on the kindness that they offered me, and left them in utter shambles. There wasn't a night that went by between then and now where I didn't think about what I did..." He then pointed his weapon back up at Seigi, narrowing his eyes in focus. "...but I would do it all over again if it meant keeping my sister safe from people like you. You're no different than the people we used to hunt down, Seigi, which means I'm going to put you down here and now. Even if it costs me every right in the Takuji name." "Your pride as a Takuji has been gone since the day you left, Akira. Therefore, you have nothing left to lose, but your pride and honor as a warrior. I intend to take that away from you, before I end your life," Seigi spoke pointedly, taking a solid step forward as his left hand raised swiftly upwards to bear at his adopted brother, whispering in emphasis, "Sōkatsui!" The entire horizon before Mikado would be enveloped in blue-white fire. The Sōkatsui's energy seemed to have instantaneously expanded the twenty meter gait of the Estate's street, demolishing all form of earth underneath while flying towards Mikado's body with the intensity to rival his own Getsuga Tenshō. Mikado, reacting with little time on his hands, sheathed his Zanpakutō within it's holster to where only an inch of the blade was shown, and thrust it forward towards the Kidō spell. As the brunt of the attack slammed into the weapon, it began seeping into Mikado's exposed blade. "Burn, Engetsu!" he said, before the spell was completely absorbed into his weapon. Without a second of hesitation, he used a Flash Step to appear within mere feet of Seigi. Grasping it's handle with his right hand while holding the sheathed weapon in his left, he ripped his now burning blue sword from it's sheathe, unleashing a slew of sparks in the process, and as it's tip ripped through the ground underneath them, it cut directly towards Seigi's chest. Not only would this slice through his torso, but the Sokatsui he had absorbed, along with his own blue spirit fire, would be unleashed on the Takuji elder at point blank range. "Spirit Energy Absorption?!" Seigi's eyes widened at seeing his Kidō literally swallowed up by the Zanpakutō, without making full physical contact. Narrowing his eyes, he distinctly heard a command release and felt a rise of Spiritual Pressure from the weapon. Did his Zanpakutō evolve somehow? Before he could think more on that, he saw Mikado's advance to the offensive and immediately reacted accordingly. His body blurred within an instant before the blade moved to cut him, allowing a vivid Clone of himself to be cut in half and consumed in the fissure of blue fiery energy his blade had manipulated. But the brash attack had caused something else, instead of falling for a mere distraction. KRAK-BOOM! A powerful explosion ripped forth from the body he assumed was Seigi's, the concussive blast being enough to throw off even the most durable enemies. The Clone itself was filled with compressed, volatile Spirit Energy. By releasing such devestating force upon it, it set off the store of energy within its duplicated body and caused a powerful blast. Seigi appeared a good distance, threw a number of shuriken, threaded by his transparent Kidō cutting threads. They'd home in on his person that'd withstand or flee from the blast, and aim to imbed their edges into his skin, so he may have purchase to manipulate and bind his body. "Shit!" ''Mikado cursed as he found himself thrown backwards by the force of the blast generated by the clone's true makeup. The heels of his boots managed to catch themselves on the ground several meters away, but he had to stab his sword into the ground to slow himself down quicker. But by the time he had regained his composure, Seigi's shurikens were heading right for him. Thankfully, he wasn't shaken or damaged enough to where he couldn't respond accordingly. With a masterful display of speed and focus, Mikado quickly managed to bat the oncoming weapons away using his newly sealed Zanpakutō. "Don't start using cheap tricks on me, Seigi." Mikado said in a stern, demanding fashion. "All I've heard from you for years is how you could outclass me and Shindo, and now I want to see how." Seigi analyzed Mikado's movements and his reaction time accordingly. Having mastered the Tamenkyōme Kidō for over a century, his own body's reflexes and visual prowess had increased accordingly. After witnessing the speed of which Mikado was able to attack and defend, he had a good basis on how to attack accordingly. "Patience, Akira," Seigi spoke chidingly, righting himself up, allowing his hands to drop, "unless you mistaken the vices of Shindō's for mine, you've sorely underestimated me. When I aim to kill, I kill. When I aim to test my enemy's limits before striking, I test them. Don't flatter yourself into thinking that whatever confidence, what drive, and what newfound strength you've attained in the short time since I've seen you will matter." Raising his right hand towards him, Seigi spoke lowly in emphasis, "If you want me to get serious, then I shall make you regret it. '''Reik'ōsoku!" VMMMMMMMMMMM! What would happen, wouldn't be a phenomena exerting out of Seigi's person, but rather from within Mikado's own body. Black-red chains discharge from Mikado's chest, as they took anchor within the air and the ground, immobilizing him completely from within his own body. "Facing me is the most idiotic thing you've could've done," Seigi spoke aloud as he tightened his palm into a fist, tightening the hold he had over his newfound captive, "did you think that giving you my Spiritual Power was from the goodness of my heart? Ever since that day, your 'power became '''my '''power. You're now going to slowly be ripped apart from the inside out, all by the energy you've assimilated into your being to defeat my brother." When he realised what had happened, he also knew that it would be too late to try and counter it. Mikado vainly grabbed hold of the chains bursting from his chest, but the pain was so overwhelming, he found himself incapable of doing so for long. How foolish it was of him to forget what Seigi had done back when he was still in captivity, and even more foolish was how he didn't think it would come back to bite him like this. There was nothing he could do... ''"God. Damn. You're pretty stupid, aren't ya?" A sinister voice within his mind, one that he knew all too well spoke out against him in an annoyed fashion. "You've been tripping and stumbling for so damn long, it's getting on my last nerve. So now, it's time..." '' From Mikado's chest, in the center of the chains that were wrapping around him, a white foot burst forth, causing his eyes to almost go blank from pain that was being further put on him. Blood started pouring from both the area around where the leg had come out of, and his mouth and nose. So soon into the fight, and he was already looking like a pummeled mess. ''"...TO PUT MY FOOT DOWN!" ''Hollow Mikado snarled with a manic grin as the whole rest of his white form emerged from the relatively small hole in his master's chest. What was even more interesting is that the chains coming from Mikado's chest also seemed to originate from Hollow Mikado, as their ends were attached to the latter's back and came off of Mikado as he left him. "What?!" Seigi uttered aloud with confusion, as his prey bound to his power wasn't Mikado himself, but his own Inner Hollow. He was baffled by the phenomena, and quickly redoubled his efforts to bind and rip apart the new apparition before him, "I've never heard of a Inner Hollow becoming sentimental. Are you truly the avatar of his Hollow Powers?" "No shit!" The Hollow shrieked, grinning madly despite the increasing strength of the chains on his back. "You'd be surprised just how much control we can have over you Visoreds. I guess that great big ole' brain of yours never imagined that I'd be the catalyst for that power that you gave shit-head over there?" Standing itself up fully, and popping it's neck, the Hollow continued. "Yeah, I got curious as to what exactly you gave him back then. When I devoured it, it increased my influence over him nearly ten fold, which is why I dick-slapped the shit out of the other Takuji brat over there. But now that you've decided to do something with it... I figured there'd be no point in it if my landlord's gonna croak." Within that instant, his body began to glow with a bright red aura as he turned to look at a still surprised Mikado and smirk. "Don't worry there, pal. I'm not completely gone. I'll find my way back inside of you soon." And then, his entire form burst in a display of bright red sparks, disappearing entirely. But this was not what would be the biggest surprise in this exchange. The hole in Mikado's chest was now sealed, though blood still stained his clothing, and his eyes were still dull. It seemed as if what had happened had truly knocked him out, and he simply was too firm in stance to fall over. ''"Alright kid." ''another voice from within him spoke in a calm, but supportive manner. ''"All of the shackles are gone. It's time to let loose... and give this guy hell." Almost instantly, Mikado's eyes flared with a bright blue aura. The ground around all of them began to quake violently, and Mikado began to growl through his blood-stained teeth. "RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!" the white haired boy screamed, and unleashed a magnificent burst of bright blue, fire like Spiritual Energy that soared into the heavens above and began to lay waste to everything around it. His power, now unshackled by the burdens and regrets that his Inner Hollow weighed upon him, had just spiked up to unheard of levels. When it cleared, the battlefield was dotted by the blue flames that he had just unleashed, and in the pillar's place was Mikado. His eyes were glowing with the same blue aura as before, his hair was billowing upwards, and a circle of blue fire was underneath him. His power was so great now, that part of his Spiritual Energy couldn't be restrained, and was constantly exerted on the outside in the form of his signature blue flames. Seigi's attempt to kill Mikado, ultimately made him all the more powerful. Seigi himself found the sudden skyrocketing force of Spiritual Power within Mikado's being to be more alarming than his newfound skills. He realized that Mikado, at this point, could easily match him in terms of Spiritual strength as they were now. Of course, as they were, not without any form of enhancements. This did little to comfort him, as his eyes widened at the vibrant sight of bright light and the sensation of pressurized wind blistering across his exposed and covered body. The sensation was like standing in front of a tsunami with brick-weighted shoes, hoping you wouldn't be wrenched off your own limbs in the face of the force being thrown upon you. But he didn't allow himself to go idle. With a swift rush towards his enemy, he used a well-timed Flash Step as he approached his front, and appeared from the side, pivoting his right arm to impact Mikado's face while corkscrewing enough to deflect an incoming strike from his sword. He would learn too late that this would be a very bad idea. With almost lightning speed, Mikado's left arm shot up and blocked Seigi's attempted strike right directly at his elbow. Without a moment's hesitation, he wrapped his arm around Seigi's, locking him in place and preventing any form of escape, before bringing his right leg up to slam directly into Seigi's ribcage. If they weren't shattered completely, he would at the very least be sent flying through several piles of debris. Following this, and twisting around in sync with his still moving leg, Mikado brought his sword down and unleashed a large wave of blue spirit fire down upon the spot where Seigi had landed, creating a practical mushroom cloud of blue flames as a result of the impact. Seigi thanked the Spirit Smiths of the Takuji Clan for forging his armor to be so durable. He could feel his breath leave his lungs, despite the kinetic impact being absorbed by the flexible ablative plating covering his torso, causing him to spiral through a row of housing, collapsing them within his wake before his body thundered to a halt. When the fissure of blue flames came to strike him, he couldn't help but thank the higher powers that Mikado's weapon of choice happened to be a derriving base quality of fire. His Fukyū Ankokuhi spell would be enough to... KRAK-BOOM!!! Within the voluminous explosion, Seigi seemed to be within its epicenter and have been totally consumed by the blast that had been released. It wasn't after a solid minute elapsed that the pyre of blue flames shrunk and turned into a small bonfire of black tongues, swirling around Seigi's person like a dark aura, as he glared back at Mikado's person from a great distance. Knowing Mikado would be upon him any moment, he allowed himself to speak, "Your flames are indeed hotter than I expected them to be. But nonetheless, you fell for the trap within your own ignorance, just as Shindō did," spreading the flames out with a gesture of his arms, it would appear as part of Seigi's left jaw and parts of his uniform were seared by the explosion's superheated properties, "Fukyū Ankokuhi. Your flames are useless against me, Akira. Unless you plan on using Getsuga Tenshō, I doubt your techniques will do little more than burn me." "I'm not an idiot, Seigi." Mikado replied bluntly, straightening his stance as he spoke. "I had a feeling you could do something with Engetsu's flames, but I needed to make sure just to be safe. Now I know not to use that ''particular ability..." He then held his arms out to his sides. "So why don't you show me just what you can do with ''my ''flames?" "Your confidence is admirable, but irrelevent," Seigi spoke stoically, spreading his legs out as he planted himself firmly on the ground in a solid ready stance. Clasping his hands to entwine his fingers together, the aura of black-violet flames funneled around his being and into the space between his palms, "''Reaper of the Living, Devourer of Innocence, Gluttony for Purity, and Ravager of Salvation. Look ye upon thy Mortal Flesh and Cry out in Terror!" Thrusting his clasped wrists forward, his hands opened and discharged the pillar of black-violet flames in the form of an enormous draconic apparition head, "'''Aohiryū!!!" VRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOAAAAAARRRRRR!!! Within an instant, a fifteen meter wide dragon was spawned from the flames, roaring aloud with a mighty ferocity. The mighty beast swooped towards Mikado with incredible velocity despite its mass, breathing a heavy gout of flames towards him, intending on overwhelming him with the life-ebbing tongues that would continue to burn until its target was turned into ash. Forced to leap back a considerable distance to avoid the massive black flames, Mikado landed on the top of a partially damaged building within the estates. What Seigi had told him was still bothering him, how only Getsuga Tensho would help him at this point. It made sense, seeing as how Seigi was both a master at Kido and was capable of absorbing Engetsu's spirit flames. Getsuga Tensho was his only real option... but could that be part of the game? Leaving him with no other option other than to use arguably his simplest attack? He already knew he would have to be crafty with his attacks, but now, things would be much more difficult. So he would have to start off fairly simple. Quickly, he sheathed his Zanpakuto in it's sheathe, and his body began to bristle with a dark blue aura. "Getsuga Tensho!" he shouted, before ripping his sword from it's sheathe and unleashed a crescent wave of dark blue energy upon the flaming black dragon. The impact would sever the beast's head from it's body, and produce a massive explosion as a result.